"The Cursing of the Iron" is a choral work for tenor, baritone, mixed choir and shaman drum by Veljo Tormis, written in 1972 and considered one of his best-known works. Lyrics are inspired on part IX of Finnish Kalevala translated to Estonian and some modern motifs in the middle part as well.
With its anti-war motifs, the work warns against the misuse of technology (iron) for war and destruction, because the unethical use of creation and the evil hidden in it will eventually turn it against its creator, bringing about universal destruction. According to Tormis, the work follows the shamanistic principle according to which it is the knowledge of the origin and nature of things that gives man power over them.
The work has been appreciated for its ancient sound, which is particularly evident in the use of the witch's drum, which plays a central role in the work. It is the witchcraft drum that establishes the most direct link between the 'Cursing of the Iron' and shamanic incantation: the conductor holding the drum is also the leader of the ritual.
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